王子

• Pinyin: wáng zǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 王 = pictograph of an axe head symbolizing authority; 子 = pictograph of a child

Meaning

Prince. A son of a king or queen, or a male member of a royal family.

Used in royal contexts, fairy tales, and discussions of foreign monarchies. Can be used metaphorically or in nicknames (白马王子 - Prince Charming). Famous literary reference: 小王子 (The Little Prince) by Saint-Exupéry.

Examples

1. 白雪公主最后和王子幸福地生活在一起。 Snow White lived happily ever after with the prince.
2. 英国王子的婚礼吸引了全世界的目光。 The British prince's wedding attracted attention from all over the world.
3. 她一直在等待心目中的白马王子出现。 She's been waiting for her Prince Charming to appear.

Usage Guide

Context: royalty, fairy tales, romance

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 王子和公主的故事很浪漫。(The story of the prince and princess is very romantic.)
• 她在等她的白马王子。(She's waiting for her Prince Charming.)

Don't Say

• 公司的王子 — 商业场合不用王子来形容高管或继承人，可以用'太子'（非正式）或'接班人'

Origin & History

Compound of 王 (king) + 子 (son, child). Literally 'king's son' or 'son of royalty.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal